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November's featured article The first episode of Countdown was broadcast at 4:45pm on Tuesday 2 November 1982, and was the first ever programme shown on the brand new Channel 4. It was hosted by Richard Whiteley (pictured) alongside "hostesses" Cathy Hytner and Beverley Isherwood, who placed letter and number tiles on the board respectively. Isherwood also created three-digit targets for the numbers rounds using a random-number generator, introduced as CECIL – "Countdown's Electronic Calculator in Leeds". This name is still used today, despite production of Countdown moving to Manchester in 2009. Carol Vorderman was the programme's "vital statistician", responsible for checking contestants' calculations and solving numbers rounds where necessary. During Series 1 and Series 2, this role was alternated with Dr Linda Barrett. In what would come to be known as Dictionary Corner, farmer and television personality Ted Moult sat alongside the programme's first ever lexicographer, referred to only as Mary. Although Carol Vorderman is usually said to be the first woman to appear on Channel 4, Mary was in fact introduced to viewers earlier in the episode than Vorderman. The first ever champion was solicitor and Scrabble player Michael Goldman, who beat accountant Jeff Andrews by 50 points to 27. The structure of the game was essentially the same 9 round format used until Series 45, broadcast in 2001. However, there were some notable differences from more recent episodes – beyond the multiple co-hosts whose roles Carol Vorderman would fulfil single-handedly from 1989 until 2008. Only the contestant whose word was longest stated it during letters rounds; their opponent just declared the length of their word. Also, the scrambled nine-letter word in the final round wasn't called a conundrum, and was manually revealed by Hytner pulling a lever in-vision. Furthermore, whereas Countdown conundrums today are usually rearranged into a short phrase (such as TINYROLES from the Series 66 final), the final round in earlier series saw the letters of a nine-letter word shuffled into a random and often nonsensical order. (more...) More featured articles... [edit] Did you know... ...that Countdown presenter Richard Whiteley (pictured) is said to have accumulated more broadcast hours than anyone else in the history in British television? ...that Countdown presenters Des Lynam and Colin Murray have hosted Countdown, appeared in Dictionary Corner and been a contestant? ...that Countdown presenter Des O'Connor has an autobiography entitled Bananas Don't Fly? ...that Countdown presenter Jeff Stelling's love of Hartlepool United was acknowledged in the Series 61 final via the conundrum ARTLEPOOL? ...that Countdown presenter Nick Hewer's first ever episode was won by eventual series champion Jack Worsley? Nominate an article [edit] Today in Countdown history 2024: Liz Davies beat Pun Vaghela in a game that ended 87 – 82. 2023: Jill Leatherbarrow beat Ross Brown with scores of 79 – 29. 2022: Neil Mackay beat Rob O'Hanrahan with scores of 99 – 71. 2019: Morgan Sauer beat Conor Sherry with final score 115 – 53. 2018: Alan Duval beat Bethan Lycett in a game that ended 68 – 67. 2017: James Riddell beat David Lee with scores of 72 – 39. 2016: Amber Farrington beat Rik Anstee in a 101 – 95 game. 2014: Laurence Killen beat Caro Hunt, by a score of 85 – 76. 2013: Sarah Taylor beat Michael McLaughlin with a score of 84 – 34. 2012: Heather Styles beat Philip Jackson, scoring 114 – 65. 2011: Clive Barham beat Adam Morgan with final score 74 – 69. 2008: Martin Bishop beat Thomas Cappleman in a game that ended 94 – 67. 2007: Judy Kimber beat Fiona Booth with scores of 91 – 48. 2006: Steven Briers beat Vicky Hubble in a 106 – 56 game. 2005: Maureen Sye beat Ian Thomson, by a score of 84 – 55. 2003: Simon Chapman beat Margaret Swaffield with a score of 84 – 69. 2002: George Greenhough beat Ruth Criddle, scoring 103 – 33. 2001: Ben Wilson beat Jeanette Littlejohn in a game that ended 102 – 49. 2000: John Harrison beat Sandeep Mazumder with final score 71 – 53. 1997: Ruth Collier beat Mark Wyndham-Jones in a 62 – 54 game. 1996: Jackie McLeod beat Lawrence Pearse, by a score of 47 – 45. 1990: Gary Franks played David White in the third leg of a Countdown Masters game. 1989: Jim Saywell played Jane Smith in the second leg of a Countdown Masters game. 1986: Harvey Freeman beat Frances Kicul with scores of 49 – 21. 1985: Marion Johnstone beat Graham Green with a score of 57 – 29. 1984: Leslie Olson beat Roland Gardner, scoring 50 – 46. 1983: David Brook beat Bernard Oakes with final score 51 – 33.

[edit] Popular articles A brief overview of Countdown and some of its records and terminology. The team – Colin Murray, Rachel Riley, and Susie Dent. The show's institutions – the conundrum, the Countdown clock and its music, Dictionary Corner, the pencam, and the Teatime Teaser. Rhys Jones, the reigning series champion, and his series grand final against Tim James. The most recent Championship of Champions grand final between James Haughton and Ahmed Mohamed. The 30th Birthday Championship grand final between Conor Travers and Jack Hurst. Richard Whiteley, Des Lynam, Des O'Connor, Carol Vorderman, Jeff Stelling, Nick Hewer and Anne Robinson – the show's former permanent presenters. The highest ever score – 154, achieved by Tom Stevenson on 29 September 2022 and Cillian McMulkin on 31 January 2023. [edit] Editors Everyone can edit the Countdown Wiki, just register and then click the edit link at the top of any page (except this one!) and start editing. Here are some useful links: Learn about this wiki and how to use it. Episode style guide - if you want to help us edit the episode pages, this style guide gives comprehensive help. Suggest a featured article which will in turn be featured on the Main Page. [edit] Other Countdown websites Apterous, an online game from the same people that run this site. The Countdown Android App, created by Series 63 champion Jack Hurst. The Countdown Database, detailed statistics and round-by-round details of over 7,800 episodes. FOCAL, regular in-person events that anyone can enter. c4countdown, Countdown's main online forum, populated by many past octochamps. Quantum Tombola, a numbers game solver designed by Series 65 champion Graeme Cole. A mobile version of the above. Greem, a website listing nearly all Co-event scores until early 2020. The Countdown Page, the original site of Countdown stats, by Mike Brown. [edit] Upcoming Countdown tournaments The full list of FOCAL tournaments for 2025 is here. The next scheduled events are the concurrent 2025 FOCAL finals and Milton Keynes Open on 29 November. Almost all online tournaments are now held on Apterous: the list of ongoing tournaments is here.

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